Listen

“It is very hard for people to resist someone who is listening to them closely, nodding and smiling and showing obvious interest in what they have to say.” – Brian Tracy

You know, of all the experiences in life, when it comes to success, I always go back to the class I took in High School called “Strategy” – it was taught by Mr. Wendt. Mr. Wendt taught us about success – how to make it on our own, how to be responsible, how to eat healthy, how to budget, how to think like a winner. Of all the classes, his has stuck with me the most. I remember he has us read a book See you at the Top by Zig Ziglar. It had alot of motivational stuff in it, but it seemed to ring true to me. Living a successful authentic life seemed right.

Now, more than 20+ years later, I find myself thinking about the things he taught. Simple things like this quote above. Actually listening to others instead of pretending to listen to them. Smiling because you like them and listening because you really want to hear them.

That’s not just good advise for sales or success – it’s good advise for being a decent and authentic human being.

We are the way we are because that is who we truly want to be. If we wanted to be any different, we would be in the process of changing right now.